Summer is almost here! If you ride, hunt, or fish, there is a good chance you own gear from this family-owned, Northwest manufacturer. This company has been delivering, American-made outdoor gear for both professional and recreational use for decades.
However, like many businesses, they faced fierce price competition from imports. Determined to overcome these obstacles, the company joined forces with NorthwestTAAC and created a plan to leverage up to $75,000 in federal Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms (TAAF). With the support of NorthwestTAAC, the company’s management carefully selected the most promising projects and the service providers in whom they were most confident.
The company needed to reach new customer segments. Key to that objective were revamping their website and implementing a sales management system. Additionally, the company modernized their accounting system and trained staff on the new systems. All of these objectives required outside expertise, now available at half the cost through TAAF. In other areas the company developed new products and sought process efficiency.
Even in labor-intensive industries like gear manufacturing, astute marketing strategies can secure a strong market position. The redesigned website proved instrumental in reaching untapped customer segments, improving staff efficiency, and reducing costs through enhanced inventory control.
“The (TAAF funded) projects were exactly what we needed to become more competitive,” said the company’s owner. “As a result, we are now selling into entirely new market segments.”
Sales stabilized as the company implemented projects. Over time, the company increased its workforce by 7 percent. Through the effective utilization of TAAF funding, this family-owned business successfully stabilized sales in the face of low-cost competition, broke into new markets, and improved operations.
If your company is grappling with challenges from trade competition in today’s competitive landscape, we encourage you to keep in touch with NWTAAC for the next opportunity to join this exceptional program.